Association
of VA Social Workers
Hall of Fame
Delwin M. Anderson
Pictured from left to right: Judith Talbert, Del Anderson, and Jerry Satterwhite
Del Anderson received his Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Minnesota in 1946. Prior to the VA, he had worked as a Recreation Director, Program Director at Goodrich social Settlement in Cleveland, and an instructor at the University of Minnesota School of Social Work.
His VA social work career began at the VA Office in Duluth Minnesota. He then became a Supervisory Social Worker at the VA Outpatient Clinic in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Chief Social Worker at the VA Regional Office in Detroit, Michigan. In 1961 he went to VA Central Office as a Specialist in Program Appraisal, became Assistant Director in 1962, and Director in 1964. He remained Director until his retirement in 1974.
Mr. Anderson is a World War II veteran serving from 1942 to 1946 (European Theatre) as a 1st Lt. Infantry Officer. He retired as a Major in the Medical Service Corps, U. S. Army Reserve, with a specialty in Social Work.
Mr. Anderson’s Professional Memberships, Activities, Community Involvement, Publications, and Awards are numerous. His influence has reached far beyond VA Social Work.
Mr. Anderson’s VA career, especially his tenure in Central Office, was during a time of growth and innovation for social work. With the increased use of psychotropic medication, patients were being released from hospitals on “Six Month Trial Visits”, and social work took the responsibility of follow-up in the home. The Visual Impairment Services Team (VIST) Program was initiated, again with social work making home visits and conducting Social and Industrial Surveys for compensation purposes. Arguably the most successful Chiefs training program in the VA, Social work Administrative Leadership (SWALT), was begun and flourished during this time. These and many other social work lead programs flourished because of Mr. Anderson’s visionary thinking and leadership. It was during this time that VA Social Work made some of its greatest strides in being recognized as a separate professional service that played an integral role in providing quality health care to the veterans, their families, and communities.
It is with great pleasure that I submit this nomination of a VA Social Work Icon, Mr. Delbert M. Anderson, to be the first person inducted into the Association of VA Social Workers Hall of Fame.
Jerry L. Satterwhite, LCSW, ACSW
Joseph A. Whitener
1925 – 1985
Joe Whitener was a graduate of Wofford College and served as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force during World War II. He received his Masters degree in Social Work from the University of North Carolina and began work with the VA in 1953. His first position was in Roanoke, Virginia. He later worked at the Salisbury VA and his first Chiefs job was at the Tuscaloosa VA. While at Tuscaloosa from 1963 to 1972, he wrote a proposal for a half million dollar veterans program for the Alabama Commission of Mental Health. In 1972, Joe was sent to Israel to present the program to the International Congress of Social Psychiatry. The program was still in effect at the time of his death.
In 1972, Joe became the first Chief of Social Work at the newly opened Tampa VA Hospital. The social work staff quickly grew to over 45. Many social workers who wished to move into leadership positions would transfer to Tampa because of Joe’s reputation as a mentor and educator. Eight of his staff became Chiefs of Social work in the VA, and one of those became a medical center director. He constantly encouraged staff to challenge themselves professionally and personally. One of his clerical staff is now a Human Resource Staffing Specialist, and another went back to school, received her MSW, and is now a Social Work Team Leader.
Joe was an innovative thinker who could easily put ideas into action. His skills as a communicator and negotiator made it possible for his staff to begin and lead new programs that directly benefited veterans.
One of Joe’s greatest contributions to the VA system was as a Social Work Administrative Leadership Training (SWALT) Preceptor. His high energy level, superb communication skills, and ability to motivate made him the consummate mentor. During the time he was a SWALT Preceptor, there was a high expectation that graduates of the program would take leadership positions throughout the system. It was an inside joke that SWALT really stood for “Satisfy Whitener And Leave Town.”
Submitted by: Annette Harrington, LCSW; Wendy Hellickson, LCSW; Theresa Sorota, LCSW
Bob Quinnelly
November 2005
Robert M. Quinnelly is the retired Chief of Social Work for the Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Center (TVAMC), Mr. Quinnelly’s life and character is consistent with the standards of the Social Work Profession. He holds a Masters of Social Work from Tulane University (1963), and graduated from Mississippi State in 1959.
Mr. Quinnelly is being nominated because of the significant impact his professional life has had on the lives of so many veterans, students and fellow employees. He began his career as a social worker in Child Welfare in Mississippi prior to joining the staff at the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center (TVAMC). After working several years at TVAMC, Mr. Quinnelly took a job as the Director of Child Welfare for the state of Georgia. Among several of the innovative programs in which Mr. Quinnelly participated in the development while in his position in Georgia were the Atlanta Youth Pregnancy Prevention Program and a Day Care Program. He lived his Social Work values and his commitment to the well being of children by adopting an infant baby boy.
In 1970, Tuscaloosa VAMC recruited Mr. Quinnelly to return to implement an innovative community mental health program conceptualized prior to his leaving the VA. This program was the Community Services Program (CSP), a community based outpatient mental health program. Initially the program was structured as a hospital based traveling treatment team. Over the next few years the program expanded to include the development of store-front offices in the local community. As the program offices developed into more sophisticated and effective, efficient treatment facilities with Social Work Team leaders, the goals of providing access closer to home, reduction in recidivism to inpatient hospitalization, and intensive therapeutic patient and family care were met. CSP grew into providing coverage through five offices for the northern 31 counties of Alabama and portions of Mississippi (Columbus). The innovative program was the first community-based program in the Department of Veterans Affairs. As such, the national VA Central Office conducted multiple, extensive research projects to determine the efficacy. It excelled in every area evaluated. It served as the prototype for today’s Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs). Almost every VA Medical Center has at least one community based clinic. “ACCESS” in the community is now part of the VA strategic plan.
As significant a contribution as Mr. Quinnelly’s development of CSP has been, it has been equaled by his devotion to the development of competent capable social workers. He had a philosophy and practice of hiring and recruiting the “best of the best” in filling positions and in supporting the Social Work Student Field Placement Program. Following his retirement, he has continued this commitment by working with The University of Alabama School of Social Work as a field liaison.
Mr. Quinnelly has never rested on the laurels of his employment. His level of community work on behalf of others is of paramount significance. Mr. Quinnelly has served in numerous positions at the Chapter and Unit levels of NASW. NASW recognized his professional dedication. He has received the Lifetime Achievement Award and was honored by his peers a Social Worker of the Year on several occasions. His professional contributions have also been recognized by the Alabama Conference of Social Work and the Society for Healthcare Social Workers. Mr. Quinnelly participated in several church sponsored mission trips to help island inhabitants. He has been an ardent supporter of the Hospice movement. He serves on multiple Boards for community service organizations.
Mr. Quinnelly is a loving husband to his wife Janice, a devoted father (Karen and Andy), and a joyful grandfather to his beloved Caroline.
There are so many social workers, who like me, will never be able to repay Mr. Quinnelly for fighting battles on our behalf. There are many others who are not even aware of his advocacy for them. Mr. Quinnelly recruited me to work with the VA because he believed me to be a competent and capable Social Worker but had to face many questions about my ability to work in an inpatient psychiatric unit since I am confined to a wheelchair. As a result of his willingness to champion my cause, I have had a very productive and successful career with the VA.
Susan G. Barfoot, DSW, LCSW-PIP
Helen B. Kapiloff
1915 - 2002
Helen
B. Kapiloff was a pioneering
social worker in the Veterans Health Administration. She was the
daughter of immigrant parents who settled in a small Jewish community
in Houston, Texas. She entered Rice University at the age of 16 and
majored in Sociology. After completing several field placements in
public agencies, she entered graduate school and received her Masters
in Social Work from the University of Chicago School Of Social Work
Administration. After graduation, she became a medical social worker
at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD. After working at several
agencies including the American Red Cross, she began a long and
distinguished career with the Veterans Administration.
Her first job was at the Naval Hospital in Houston which was replaced the Houston VA Medical Center. In the late 1990s, a new VA Medical Center was built in Houston. It has been noted that Helen was the only Chief Social Worker to wear out two hospitals.
Helen’s awards and accomplishments were many. She successfully lobbied the Texan Legislature to establish a Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Houston.
During her tenure at the VA, over 600 graduate students from several schools completed their field placement in her department. She was one of the VA’s first Social Work Administrative Leadership Training (SWALT) Preceptors and mentored many trainees who later became Social Work Chiefs.
Her many honors included Social Worker of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Award from the Houston Chapter of NASW and served as part of the NASW Texas State Delegation to the National Delegate Assembly for several terms. On the national level, she was also a NASW Social Work Pioneer.
SWALT Preceptor, VHA SW Leadership Council Chairperson, Education Committee Chairman, and Association of VA Social Workers officer. He has most recently served as Congressional Liaison for the Association of VA Social Workers. He was instrumental in getting Hybrid Title 38 legislation passed. He has guided & mentored the VA Social Work profession, along with countless VA Social Workers and other professionals. He has actively promoted excellence in Social Work. He has represented the profession well in the community, such as through the Society of Social Work Leaders in Health Care as well as the Association of Social Work Boards. Jerry has served on the Alabama board for more than ten years. He has served on numerous committees and worked on national practice and training initiatives. Just as importantly, he has always offered friendship and support, wherever he goes. It is with enduring gratitude and great pleasure that we unanimously induct “Big Jer” into the Association’s Hall of Fame.